So simple, so delicious. This was a great find that I found through The Crepes of Wrath, who got it from Seasonal Eats, who got it from Serious Eats who picked it up from Spain.On The Road Again, which Mario Batali is on, and I love Mario Batali in a totally platonic, foodie crush way. It’s too easy and too flavorful not to make, so you should just go ahead and jot down the ingredients now so you can pick them up at the store to make tomorrow for dinner. It’s OK, you can thank me later.

This was my first experience with chorizo, kale and turnips, so it was pretty adventurous. I’ve never even looked at greens outside of romaine and iceberg at le grocery store, in fact, so it was an experience to discover so many kinds. But come on, it couldn’t be an easier soup and I really love both soup and easy.

In a large pot, fry up your bacon over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered. Add the onion, potato and turnip and enough water to cover all of it, and simmer for 20 or so minutes until tender but not crumbling.

Chuck your beans, chorizo and greens into the pot of awesome and keep on simmering until the greens are tender, then season with salt and pepper. Ours, you may note in the first photo, was served with the $0.99 cent asiago demi loaf from Le Target that had been ovenized for a bit to harden the crust.

A few interesting facts that you may not have known:

- Turnips are a member of the cabbage family.

- Kale is also a member of the cabbage family.

-Siberian kale has flat leaves. Lacinato, as pictured above, has more textured leaves.

I’m here to inform!

1 Response to “Caldo Gallego”

This soup was a winter staple at our house, but Mom used a few shortcuts. She would only prepare it after baking a ham, using the entire bone and leaving plenty of meat on it. She would start with sofrito (onion, green pepper, olive oil), adding the entire bone and chunks of the ham, then raw quarted potatoes, canned great northern beans and canned turnip greens(not drained), salt and pepper to taste. Very little water was added, just enough to keep it from becoming too thick. It simmered on the lowest possible heat for several hours, until the remaining ham fell away from the bone, stirred gently on occasion. Sometimes we would have it over a small serving of white basmati rice. Simple, hearty and delicious!